The Ford Barn

psimet · 05-31-2023, 04:27 PM

My block was cracked many, many decades before I ever got it. Original to the car and a September '28. We covered it in a previous thread: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=299839

I had asked Ken Ehrenhofer about it saying I had JB Welded it but it still was weeping to which he replied, "then you didn't fix it right."

So last year I decided I was going to go all out. I got a pencil grinder and bits and spent a long time cleaning it all out and grinding everything back. When that was done I got a LOT of JB Weld and worked it in to fix it.

That patch lasted well enough I was able to run all last summer and eventually solve some overheating issues, etc.

So I took my son (16 at the time) out in it late last year to teach him how to drive it. Of course he stalled it a few times.

When we got back I realized the area that was patched was back to weeping again. It's where the crack is located is around where the flywheel housing bolts up (maybe I can't remember specifically) but it seems to be under a lot of stress and the heavy clutch play of the new driver was enough to damage the patch.

So I am ready to find a permanent fix - if I am using the same block it appears that I will be metal stitching it. I know nearly nothing about the process. I have a club member who wants to come over and pull the engine.

That's cool but then what am I doing? I was sent an excerpt of the name of a company that apparently seems to sell cold stitching supplies from one of the A magazines but I'm looking for advice from those familiar with the process.

As for whether or not I can do it on my own - mechanically I am more than capable but - I understand it all but I also don't have tons of space or necessarily the right tools.

Any advice re the cold metal stitching process? Any advice on what else I would need to check on the block to even see if it's worth fixing? (I have concerns on whether or not the exhaust side of the block can be adequately cleaned up and decked clean enough to seal well. I currently use the glands and some sealant to help.)

05-31-2023, 04:27 PM	#1
psimet Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: Elgin, IL Posts: 247	Metal Stitching my Block My block was cracked many, many decades before I ever got it. Original to the car and a September '28. We covered it in a previous thread: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=299839 I had asked Ken Ehrenhofer about it saying I had JB Welded it but it still was weeping to which he replied, "then you didn't fix it right." So last year I decided I was going to go all out. I got a pencil grinder and bits and spent a long time cleaning it all out and grinding everything back. When that was done I got a LOT of JB Weld and worked it in to fix it. That patch lasted well enough I was able to run all last summer and eventually solve some overheating issues, etc. So I took my son (16 at the time) out in it late last year to teach him how to drive it. Of course he stalled it a few times. When we got back I realized the area that was patched was back to weeping again. It's where the crack is located is around where the flywheel housing bolts up (maybe I can't remember specifically) but it seems to be under a lot of stress and the heavy clutch play of the new driver was enough to damage the patch. So I am ready to find a permanent fix - if I am using the same block it appears that I will be metal stitching it. I know nearly nothing about the process. I have a club member who wants to come over and pull the engine. That's cool but then what am I doing? I was sent an excerpt of the name of a company that apparently seems to sell cold stitching supplies from one of the A magazines but I'm looking for advice from those familiar with the process. As for whether or not I can do it on my own - mechanically I am more than capable but - I understand it all but I also don't have tons of space or necessarily the right tools. Any advice re the cold metal stitching process? Any advice on what else I would need to check on the block to even see if it's worth fixing? (I have concerns on whether or not the exhaust side of the block can be adequately cleaned up and decked clean enough to seal well. I currently use the glands and some sealant to help.)